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It's too early to call it a streak. And it's not been long enough to call it a roll. But the Toronto Raptors are beginning to feel like a team that has found firm ground and is ready to make some strides.
They get to test that theory tonight in Washington and tomorrow at the Air Canada Centre against the Wizards in a rare home-and-home series between NBA clubs separated by a half-game in the congested Eastern Conference standings.
"It's about that time," Raptors forward Chris Bosh said yesterday. "You can tell when things are tightening up a little bit because guys are starting to play a lot better, and the main guys are stepping their game up and teams are playing harder. We just have to keep pushing because everyone [else] is playing well as well."
The Wizards have been a mild surprise this season.
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- Milwaukee Bucks
- Toronto Raptors
- Gilbert Arenas
- Chris Bosh
- Caron Butler
- Jose Calderon
- Carlos Delfino
- Brendan Haywood
- Antawn Jamison
- Anthony Parker
With star guard Gilbert Arenas playing subpar, by his standards, while dragging around a surgically repaired knee, Washington got off to a 3-5 start. Things figured to get worse when he was shut down for another round of surgery. Instead, Washington has gone 20-14 without him, including 8-4 in January, bolstered by all-star-worthy performances by Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler.
The Raptors are 7-4 in January, 9-5 since their win in San Antonio on Dec. 28, and looking for more.
If you look at trends, you'd have to think the Raptors might just get it, too. The Raptors went 3-1 against Washington last season, with much of the credit going to Bosh, who averaged 30 points on 60.3-per-cent shooting against the Wizards. That's one reason you won't see the Raptors get into a running game with Washington.
A halfcourt contest means more possessions where the Wizards have to solve the inside-outside problem posed by the Raptors power forward. If Bosh is double-teamed, he can pass to a perimeter player for a three-point attempt. If Bosh isn't double-teamed, he will likely score a bunch.
"They have a tough matchup with [Bosh]," Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell said. "You don't want to get into that kind of game when [Bosh] is going to make them double him. Do you put Jamison on him, or do you put [centre] Brendan Haywood on him?
"If you put Jamison on him, how quick do you come on Chris [with a double-team]? If Jamison or Haywood get a couple of fouls early, now who do you go to? So you don't want to get into an up-and-down game, because my advantage is Chris, and Chris has been pretty good about getting the ball out of double-teams."
The Wizards beat the Raptors 101-97 on Dec. 1 in their only meeting this season, a game Bosh missed with a strained groin.
Bosh is looking forward to getting on the floor tonight. Toronto has been enjoying a rare lull in the schedule, playing just twice in the past nine days. The rest seems to have done the Raptors' legs well.
The Raptors, the NBA's best three-point shooting team at 42 per cent, have gone 23-for-36 from the three-point line in their past two games, both wins.
"We have confidence," Bosh said. "When we start the game [driving to the basket] and trying to get to the free-throw line, and driving and kicking, we're a tough team to beat because we have guys letting wide-open threes go. I think that helps us out."
No one has benefited more than guard Carlos Delfino, who has emerged as the Raptors' most valuable reserve, averaging 11.8 points in his past five games, fuelled by a hot stroke from deep. He has shot 9-for-11 from the three-point line in his past two games, while contributing his tough brand of on-the-ball defence.
He'll likely have to cover the Wizards' Butler, who exploded for 40 points against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday and is averaging 21 points and seven rebounds a game this season.
Delfino was hot in a postpractice shooting session yesterday, and says his stroke has more to do with having time to shoot the ball.
"It's my teammates," Delfino said. "It's easier when you are by yourself and you have no one contesting your shots. Jose [Calderon], A.P. [Anthony Parker], C.B. [Bosh] … we're sharing the ball, and when you're free and no one is close to you, you don't have to worry about anything."
